They think it's all over - it is now! Well almost anyway. We always knew we had a potential star villain in our midst when Sevilla won back promotion to the first division. It was just a case of when. And on day seven Pablo Alfaro showed his true colours with an elbow to the head of Real Sociedad's Tayfun in the second half. The referee took one look at the midfielder's battered face and pulled out the red card, and Alfaro was on his way off the park for no less than the 23rd time in his career (14 in the first division and 9 in the second). He has still a little way to go before he beats the all time record for the first division, which is held by the mythical Juanito with 17, but surely that is now a matter of time. The disciplinary committee gave him a two match ban and with four yellows to his name in the first six games he shoots to the top of the table. The other villains can already pack up their bags and go home.

Only one other sending off in the weekend's fixtures and that was in the same game, Idiakez becoming the third Real Sociedad player to get his marching orders in consecutive matches. John Toshack was furious with his players for their lack of discipline which has taken them to the foot of the table once again. Four players reached the first threshold of five yellow cards and will be suspended for the next game. Tw of those were from Villarreal, Quique Alvarez and Arruabarrena, and they will have to put together a makeshift defence for their next match. The other two were Málaga's Romero and Rayo's Graff, both of whom are playing in the top flight for the first time. (08.10.01)